ACPM - Medical Student Resources

Start a Preventive Medicine
Interest Group (PMIG)!

1) Get connected nationally

Contact the ACPM-MSS National Officers
- The National Officers will help you get the ball rolling at your school. They can connect you with physicians, residents, and other students and generate school-specific ideas for your group’s development.
- http://www.acpm.org/MSS_officers.htm
Join the Medical Student Section (MSS)
- Being an official member of the ACPM allows you to network, receive information about the College’s activities, and learn about events and opportunities in Preventive Medicine.
- http://www.acpm.org/medstudents.htm
Join the MSS Yahoo Group
- This listserv is how MSS members communicate, share ideas, and receive announcements.
- http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/acpmstudents/
Familiarize yourself with the ACPM and MSS websites
- Be prepared to answer questions as students approach you, and know where to send them for more information.
- http://www.acpm.org/
- http://www.acpm.org/medstudents.htm
Review MSS benefits
- Be proud of your membership and participation in the ACPM, and take full advantage of your benefits. In this way, you can generate enthusiasm for the section and recruit other students to join!
- http://www.acpm.org/MSSbenefits.htm

2) Get connected locally

Contact your school’s office of student activities
- Each school has its own set of rules and regulations with regards to starting a new interest group. Your office of student activities is a great place to start for getting the scoop on how to reserve rooms, fundraise, develop a website, advertise events, etc.
Contact your Dean of Student Affairs
- Your Dean may be a source of tremendous support and guidance while developing your PMIG. They know how to work with your particular student body and faculty as well as what local resources are available.
Contact your College of Public Health
- If your school has a College of Public Health nearby, contact its Dean and other faculty leaders. Many have concurrent MPH student groups, programming, speakers, and events that you can tap into.
Reach out to Preventive Medicine Physicians and Residents near you
- As an ACPM-MSS member, you can search the directories for physicians and residents in your area who may be willing to mentor your group, host sessions, and speak to students.
Contact your Preventive Medicine Residency Director
- If your school offers a Preventive Medicine Residency Program, its director will be a wonderful resource and will almost certainly assist you in reaching out to medical students and residents.

3) Recruit PMIG members

Establish a core group of officers
- Seek out a few innovative students who would like to help you out. In the early stages, this may mean self-appointing a President, Vice President, and Secretary. Your PMIG is like a choose-your-own-adventure; the officers will decide how the group functions and are responsible for planning meetings and events.
Advertising to the student body
- You may want to announce the start of the group itself to drum up interest and gather names of interested students.
Toolbox
- An on-line “toolbox” of posters, pamphlets, and fliers is available on the MSS website. You can download and print these items for distribution. If you develop similar tools yourself and would like to share them with other students, be sure to let the National Officers know. There are also two slide shows available on-line that you can use as presentations.
Hit up orientation week, special events, fairs
- Take advantage of special programming and other opportunities to advertise the PMIG and get new students involved.

4) Plan meetings and activities

Publicize
- Each time the PMIG meets, has a speaker, or hosts an event, you will need to advertise to attract students. This may take the form of posters, fliers, announcements or emails to the student body.
Meeting ideas
- How frequently you have meetings is up to you, but most shoot for 1-2 per month. They may take the form of having speakers, a panel of residents or physicians, workshops, or presentations.
- Initial meetings should focus on answering common student questions:
  - What is Preventive Medicine?
  - What do physicians in Preventive Medicine do?
  - What is the ACPM?
  - Can I do a 4^th year elective rotation in Preventive Medicine?
  - How do I apply for a residency or fellowship?
  - What’s up with the MPH degree?
- You may hold meetings that address popular topics such as:
  - Careers in Preventive Medicine
  - International medicine/global health
  - Health policy and advocacy
  - Medical school curriculum and Public Health
  - How to join the ACPM-MSS Mentorship Program
Food!
- Providing food and/or drink is a no-fail way to lure students in.

5) Attend the ACPM Annual Meeting

One of the most important things you can do is get students to the ACPM Annual Meeting! Not only is this a great networking opportunity, it’s also a ton of fun!
- The ACPM Annual Meeting features cutting edge sessions in disease prevention and health promotion, Clinical Preventive Medicine, Public Health Practice, Healthcare Quality Improvement, Teaching Preventive Medicine, and Prevention Policy; special interest roundtables; keynote speakers; networking opportunities and much more!
Fundraising
- There are many options to help reduce cost of attendance:
  - ACPM-MSS members receive a 60% discount on early bird Annual Meeting registration!
  - “Future Leaders in Preventive Medicine Grant”
  - Student Abstract Competition and Poster Session
  - Room share at hotels
- Check with your student activities office to see if there is money available to sponsor students or help subsidize travel costs.
- Other potential sources of support: Dean of Student Affairs, College of Public Health, Preventive Medicine Residency Directors, physicians or alumni, local businesses, lab money to present your research.
ACPM 2008 Annual Meeting website: http://www.preventivemedicine2008.org/